The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District has reached a stipulated agreement with the state in its proposed rules for consumptive use from surface irrigation improvements. The rules have been in the works for three years, and would take effect in 2011 if approved by Division 2 Water Court District Judge Dennis Maes. The Colorado Division of Water Resources filed the a

In nearly every Water Court case in the Arkansas River basin, the state Division of Water Resources finds itself in court. Usually, the state is an objector, attempting to make sure the water rights of other water users are not injured when a new application for how water is used is processed by the court.

Kansas on Tuesday ratcheted up its fight for water from the Republican River, which flows from eastern Colorado through Nebraska into Kansas, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in the long-running dispute. The case that Kansas filed in the high court targets Nebraska but also names Colorado.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, whose department oversees America's land and other natural resources, says another period of mass "relocation" is possible in the 21st century — especially if rain patterns and temperatures change as some expect.

Kansas lawmakers accidentally spent $17 million set aside to finance litigation aimed at forcing Colorado and Nebraska to abide by water compacts. The embarrassing miscue, committed in 2007, set off alarms with some senators insisting upon reform in the method of writing appropriations bills and others demanding better tracking of money earmarked for specific purposes.

Small wells on mountain lots are continuing to create headaches - both for the owners of the wells and the state Division of Water Resources.

A Nebraska lawmaker has asked the state to forgive a $9 million loan that helped pay farmers in the Republican River basin for sending some of their irrigation water to Kansas in 2007. State Sen. Mark Christensen of Imperial introduced the bill on Wednesday. The water was sent to Kansas to help Nebraska comply with a compact that guides use of the river.

Nebraska lawmakers don't see any easy answers to a complicated mix of water problems in the Republican River basin. Only 13 of the 34 lawmakers who responded to an annual, pre-session survey by The Associated Press said less irrigation, state general-fund tax dollars or a combination of both should be used.

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